Lock



April 30, 1940.

l. J. FLETCHER LOCK Filed Dec. 11, 1939 40 the ter case or shell. I

Patented Apr. 30', 1940 PATENT OFFICE LOCK Irving J. Fletcher, New Britain, Conn., assignor to The American Hardware Corporation, New 7 Britain, (301111., a corporation of Connecticut Application December, 11, 1939, Serial No. 308,618

' 11 Claims. (ciao-as) My invention relates more particularly to the class of locks known as padlocks, although it may not necessarily be confined to .such structure, and an object of my invention, among others, is the production of a lock having means for secretively securing the plug or barrel in place so that it may be removed without the use of any particular tool; a further object of the invention is to provide means for securing the plug or bar-' other object of the invention is to reduce the cost of manufacture of this class of lockby increasing the speed of assembly and reducing the number of parts; and a still furtherobject of.

the invention is to produce a lock assembly whose parts are secured together in such a manner as to be-more secure against discovery of the disaszo sembly action when in the locked position.'

One form of a lock embodying my invention and in the construction and use of which the objects herein set out, as Well as. others, may be attained is illustrated in the accompanying draw- 55% ing, in which v s ,Figure l is a side View of my improved lock.

Figure 2 is an edge view of the same. Figure 3 is a bottom View. Figure 4 is a view in central vertical section 3''( l on a plane coincident with the plane of the axes of the two branches of the shackle the latter, however, being shown in full.

Figure 5 is a view in cross section on a plane denoted by the dotted line 5-5 of Fig. 4 and showing the retaining key in its locking position.

Figure 6 is a similar view but showing the retaining key, in its releasing position. j

Figure 7 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but showing the inner case released and partially removed Figure '8 is an isometric perspective View of the outer and inner cases with the latter in position for insertion into theshell. I

Figure 9 is a View on enlarged scale of a frag-.

ment of the lock showing the retainingkey in position for securing the plug or barrel and the case within the shell.

Figure 10 is a similar view illustrating the restructed for use as a padlock, and I3. denotes the inner case thereof which is formed to nicely fit within the shell to be housed therein, and which is secured in a manner to be hereinafter described. The usual shackle common to such locks has a long arm l4 secured within the structure and a shorter arm l5, both of said arms having locking notches to receive locking bolts l5 which arespring pressed apart to engage said notches, as shown in Fig. 4. The shackle is held in place in a socket partially formed in the outer shell and the inner case, and by means of a'pin 11 engaged within an annular groove in the long arm M, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The locking bolts are operated by means of pins I8, projecting from the end of the plug or barrel I9, rotation of which is controlled by key operated pins or tumblers in a manner common to locks of this type. All of the parts thus far described, except as to details of construction, are old and well known in the art and further description is therefore omit,- ted. The pin tumblers are not shown, but their location and operation will be readily understood by those skilled in the art, recesses in the inner case to receive said pintumblers only being shown.

My invention relates more particularly to means for securing the inner case within the outer shell and also for securing the plug or barrel within the inner case, such means being constructed and arranged to cause automatic fas 'tening of said membersin place but to require position, opposite each other and also in position to receive opposite ends of a retaining key 25. This retaining key is carried in a hole 26 extending from one edge of the inner case I 3 into the hole therein for the barrel or plug H1. The inner end of this retaining key is of particular shape which consists of a plug retaining lip 21 at one edge of said endand an abutment 28 at the opposite edge thereof; The retaining recess 24 is also of angular shape, being provided with a shoulder 29 at one. end of the recess which'recess decreases in depth from said shoulder to the opposite end where it terminates in a stop 30 at the surface of the plug. The retaining key 25 has an opening to receive a spring 3|, the hole 26 being counterbored to receive said spring and the latter resting upon the shoulders created by said counterbore.

When the parts are in the positions shown in Figs. 5 and 9 the plug or barrel may be turned in one direction to effect release of the shackle, the rotation of the barrel in opposite directions being limited by engagement of the locking bolts iii in the notches in the long and short arm of the shackle and by the abutting of the locking bolts against each other, this being common to locks at the present time. In this locking and unlocking rotation of the plug or barrel the retaining lip 21 is always located in the retaining recess 24 so that said plug is retained in place.

When it is desired to disassemble the parts-the key is inserted in the barrel and the latter is turned to the right when looking at the bottom end of the lock and until it reaches a stop which is the position shown in Fig. 6. This operation releases the shackle which automatically moves ouwardly releasing the short arm from the hole in the case. This short arm may now be swung to one side, incidently opening said hole for free access to the end of the retaining key 25 which may, by insertion of a sharp instrument into said 1 hole, he forced backwardly, the recess 24 being in position to permit such movement. The retaining key is thus released from the recess 2|, and the inner case it is free to be removed from the shell, and then by pulling the retaining key outwardly the barrel I9 is released for removal from the inner case.

To assemble the parts the operation is reversed, the regular lock key being employ-2d to turn the barrel to locate the retaining recess 25 in the position shown in Fig. 6. The inner case now being pushed into the shell the outer end of the retaining key 25 rides along the cam 23 until it passes the shoulder 22 when the spring 3| forces 5 it into the recess 2!.

. passed the shoulder 22, the regular lock key may be employed to turn the barrel to its locking position. The cam shaped bottom of the recess engaging the end of the retaining key will force the end of said key up the incline of the shoulder and thereby draw parts inwardly to tight engagement within the case.

It will now be seen that the lock may be operated for locking and unlocking in the usual way and the manner of disengaging the parts will not be readily detected. Any effort to manipulate the retaining key by insertion of an element into the hole for the short arm of the shackle will be ineffectual unless the plug be turned to the proper position, and this would not be readily discovered for the reason that the normal. position of the plug is the locking position for the lock. The plug is yieldingly retained in this position by the pressure of a locking bolt spring 32 and it would not be readily discovered that the plug must be held in unlocking position against the pressure of said spring in order to enable the retaining key .25 to be released in the manner above described.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes I have described the principles of operation of my invention, together with the device which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof; but I desire to have it understood that the device shown is only illustrative and that the invention may be carried out by other means and applied to uses other than those above set out.

I claim:

1. A look including an outer shell having an opening for the short arm of a shackle and a locking recess accessible through said opening, an inner case insertable into said shell and having a hole for a retaining key, said hole opening into a hole for a key plug, a retaining key located in said hole therefor in position to enter said recess, and a key plug located in said hole therefor and having a releasing recess positioned to receive one end of said retaining key to permit its disengagement from said locking recess.

2. A lock including an outer shell having an opening for the short arm or" a shackle and a locking recess accessible through said opening, an inner case insertable into said shell and having a hole for a retaining key, said hole opening into a hole for a key plug, a retaining key located in said hole therefor in position to enter said locking recess, a key plug located in said hole therefor and having a releasing recess positioned to receive one end of said retaining key to permit its disengagement from said recess, and means for yieldingly holding said key plug in position to prevent entrance of said retaining key into the recess therein.

3. A lock including an outer shell having an opening for the short arm of a shackle and a locking recess accessible through said opening, an inner case insertable into said shell and having a hole for a retaining key, said hole opening into a hole for a key plug, a retaining key located in said hole therefor in position to enter said looking recess, a key plug located in said hole therefor and having a releasing recess positioned to receive one end of said retaining key to permit its disengagement from said locking recesswhen the key plug is turned from its locking position, said recess rejecting said retaining key when the plug is in its locking position, and means for automatically returning the key plug to its looking position.

4. A look including an outer shell having an opening for the short arm of a shackle and a locking recess accessible through said opening, an inner case insertable into said shell and having a hole for a retainingkey, said hole opening into a hole for a key plug, a retaining key located in said hole therefor in position to enter said locking recess, a cam engageable with said retaining key to force it into said hole therefor and shaped to release said key when the inner case is fully inserted in the outer shell, and a key plug located in said hole therefor and having a releasing recess positioned to receive one end of said retaining key to permit its disengagement from said locking recess. I

5. A look including an outer shell having an opening for the short arm of a shackle and a locking recess accessible through said opening, an inner case insertable into said shell and having a hole for a retaining key, said hole opening into a hole for a key plug, a retaining key located in said hole therefor in position to enter said locking recess, a key plug located in said hole therefor and having a releasing recess positioned to receive one end of said retaining key to permit its disengagement from said locking recess, only when said key plug is turned from its looking position, and a cam located on the outer shell and engageable with the outer end of said retaining key to force it into the releasingv recess i into a hole for a key plug, a retaining key located in the keyplug when the latter is turned from its locking position.

6. A lock including an outer shell having an opening for the short arm of a shackle and a locking recess aocessible through said opening, said recess having an inclined shoulder, an inner case insertable into said shell and having'a hole for a retaining key, said hole opening into ahole for a key plug, aretaining key located insaid hole therefor in position ,to enter said locking recess and engageable with said inclined shoulder to draw the inner case into the outer shell when forced into said recess, and a key plug located in said hole therefor and having a releasing recess positioned to receive one end of said retaining key to permit its disengagement from said looking recess, said releasing recess havinga formation to engage the inner end of said retaining key and force it into said locking recess when the key plug is turned to a certain position.

7. A lock including an outer, shell having an opening for the short arm of a shackle and a locking recess accessible through said opening,

an inner case insertable into said shelland having a hole for a retaining key, said hole opening in said hole therefor in position to enter said locking recess, a key plug located in said hole therefor and having a releasing recess positioned to receive one end of said retaining key to permit its disengagement from said locking recess, said key plug having a formation to engage the inner end of said retaining key and prevent its inward movement when the key plug is in a certain position.

8. A look including an outer shell having an opening for the short arm of a shackle and a locking recess accessible through said opening, an inner case insertable into said shell and having a hole for a retaining key, said hole opening into a hole for a key plug, a retaining key located in said hole therefor in position to enter said locking recess, and a key plug located in said hole therefor and having a releasing recess positioned to receive one end of said retaining key to permit its disengagement from said locking recess, said releasing recess having a formation to force said retaining key against the bottom of said locking recess, said plug also having a formation to prevent inward movement of said retaining key when the key plug is in a certain position.

9. A look including an outer shell having an opening for the short arm of a shackle and a locking recess accessible through said opening, an inner case insertable into said shell and having a hole for a retaining key, said hole opening into a hole for a key plug, a retaining key located in said hole therefor in position to enter said locking recess, a key plug located in said hole therefor and having a releasing recess positioned to receive one end of said retaining key to per- 7 mit its disengagement from said locking recess, and a lip onthe inner end of said retaining key constantly engaged in said releasing recess to hold the key plug in place when the inner case is secured within the outer shell.

10. A lock including an outer shell having an opening for the short arm of a shackle and a locking recess accessible through said opening, an inner case insertable into said shell and having a hole for a retaining key, said hole opening into a hole for a key plug, a retaining key 10- V cated in said hole therefor in position to enter said locking recess, a key plug located in said hole therefor and having a releasing recess positioned to receive one end of said retaining key to permit its disengagement from said locking recess, and interengaging means on said plug and retaining key for locking the key plug within the inner case when the latter is secured within said shell. 1

11. A look including an outer shell having an opening for the short arm of a shackle and a recess accessible in said opening, an inner case insertable into said shell and having a hole for a retaining key, a retaining key located in said hole and movable into said recess, lock mechanism including a key plug, and means operative by said key plug to move said retaining key into said recess and to permit its removal therefrom to secure and release said inner case;

IRVING J. FLETCHER. 

